Fence



s. e. BOWER.

FENCE.

Patented Dee. 11, 1894.

d i w A/ y l@ .v xg. fw-

W ess i @m Nrrnp STATES- VPATENT -rrrcial SAMUEL C. BOVER, OE MOUNTAN EAGLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,504, dated December 11, 1894. .Application filed .Tnly 14,1894. Serial No. 517.583. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. BOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mountain Eagle, in the county of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Fence, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fences.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire fences, to increase their durability, and to enable the fence wires to be maintained at the desired tension, and to permit them to yield to avoid breaking.

The invention consists in the construction and novelcombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures ofthe draw- 1ngs.

1 and 2 designate end posts providedwith perforations 3 and 4:, for the passage of horizontal fence wires 5, which are maintained at the desired tension by a vertical series of wire stretchers 6. The wire stretchers each y consist of a spool or shaft provided with journals and havingl a ratchet 7. The journals are arranged in bearing openings 8 and 9 of vertical bearing bars 10, and one end of the spool or shaft is squared to be engaged by a wrench or similar tool for rotating the spool or shaft to tighten the fence wire.` The ratchet 7 is engaged by a depending curved spring 11, to prevent retrograde rotation; andthe upper ends of the depending outwardly curved springs are secured tothe adjacent face of the post l.

The bearing bars are provided with series of bearing openings, arranged at dierent intervals in order that various numbers of wire stretchers may be employed to accommodate fences having dierent numbers of fence wires, and to enable the wire stretchers to be applied to fences having six, eight, or more fence wires; and it will be readily understood that any number of bearing openings may be' employed for this purpose. These bearing openings are arranged adjacent to the edges of the bars and the openings 9 consist of slots or recesses to enable the spools or shafts to be readily removed when desired.

In order to prevent any liability of the fence other causes, a compensator is arranged on the end post 2, and consists of a vertical bar 12 and springs 13 interposed between the bar and the fence post. The compensator bar 12 is provided with perforations through which pass the fence wires which terminate in eyes 111 receiving a locking rod 15.

the end posts by intermediate posts 16, each rest upon the ground and is supported by oppositely inclined transversely disposed braces 18, having their upper ends beveled and secured to the side facesof the posts 16 by a horizontal bolt 19. I The supplemental post is provided at one side with notches 2O to receivethe fence wires, which are retained in thenotches by a metal plate 2l, secured to the faceof the post by bolts or other suitable fastening devices. The ends of the inclined transverse braceslS are inserted in the ground; and this construction enables the invention to withstand lateral strain.

, At intervals between the intermediate posts, steel pickets 22 are employed andare provided at their vertical edges with flanges 23 to stiften them. The `fence. Wires are secured to the steel pickets by tongues 24, struck up from the pickets and bent around the ets to them. l The post is provided with loops the bars 10 to the post.

It will be seen that the fence is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, thatthe fence wires may be maintained sator prevents any liability of the fence wires to break accidentally when subject to a heavy .straim Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction maybe resorted wires breaking from contraction by cold or` of which is provided with afoot piece 17 to v 25 through which pass bolts 26 for lsecuring The fence is supported at intervals between i fence wires and securely fastening the pick-` at the desired tension, and that the compen- IOO to without departing from the spirit or sacritcing anyof the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim iss- The combination with a fence, of a compensator arranged at one end thereof and .connected with the Wires, the vertical bearlng bars located at the other end of the fence and provided with series of bearing openings located at dierent intervals, the adjustable and detachable spools or shafts journaled in the bearing openings of the bearing bars and provided with ratchets, and the depending outwardly bent springs secured at their upper ends to the adjacent post and having their lower ends engaging the ratchets, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing,r as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL C. BO'WER.

Witnesses:

H. WILBUR BICKLE, D. W. WooDRING. 

